Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-06
CHAPTER XXXv.

tights ICseEFeul
CHAPTER XXXV.
s'Not another mile with our horses till
they're rested and fed-not another mile,
or when we do overtake sny one they will
be so unfit for action that we'll be Grip
pied out and outI" said Major Ben, in an
swer to his two companions, Paul and
Delorme, as he neared the very range of
timber from which LagonG had not been
gone more than three or four hOurs-for
the brands of his little FIRE were yet smok-
ing. For they were urging him to keep
upon the evidently freShening trail with
out hating.
t'We're gsining-heTe's fire yeti" cried
he, as he Ieaped from his horse, which,
Ioosened, went at once to the water,
'sShe has been here-she has been
here" shouted Paul, as he picked up
from the bank shred of her ce-fringed
dress, which she had torn off and left
there.
ayes, and another woman and an In
dian. Here is bona fde moccasin
track" said Ben whose keen eyes were
running over theground as if it were a
picture. "But though there are three of
them, there are the tracks Of only two
horses. 1 see--One carried double; his
track sinks twice as deep in the ground
as the other; and here is some Of his hair
on this mesquite bush-it is white".
FLagOna has got her!" SAID both Mr..
DelOTme and Paul, as they heard these
words.
"Yes-likely, for this trail now heads
straight for the Rio Pecos, and there the
Comanches generally lie II the greatest
numbers. Some of their most impreg-
oh n -, ha 70
Hills. If he gets there it will be next to
impossible to do anything with my small
force"
"Let Us press on without delay-they
can only be few miles ahead of US ~
urged Paul.
"Young man, when you've lived as long
as have, and trsIled as many redskins
as my mothers only son has, you'll learn
that sometimes the greatest haste goes
the least distance. Our horses need rest
and food-weTe we to go on now they
would be knocked up and give out
in four or FIVE miles further But give
them two hours rest and feed and they're
good for q run of thirty or forty miles
yet. Take my example; off saddles from
your beasts, then eat something and
smoke the pipe of patience for a while"
SIT is hard to smoke that which I
haven't got, but you know best, major
of goes my saddle" said Paul.
"And mine-much IS I desire to press
on. The experience of the major is our
only stay" added Mr.. Delorme.
The horses were soon feasting amid the
grass, and Mccullough, having stirred up
the fire and added fuel, was making tin
cup of hot coffee and broiling a slice of
bacon for his breakfast in a very short
time.
The planter and Paul, urged to follow
his example, did so-more from desire
to sustain their strength than from any
appetite which they felt; their eagerness
and anxiety destroyed all of that
And though the gallant chief of the
Rangers took things very quietly he too
was full as anxious as they to renew the |
chase and watched the animals as they
fed, to see whenthey showed sufficient |
signs OF returning vigor to make it |
prudent to resaddle them.
After his scanty meal and the never-to- |
be-forgotten pipe of camp life, the major !
climbed one Of the tallest trees, in hopes |
that from his perch he could distinguish |
further traces; but when he came down |
he shook his head, Indicating thereby that |
he had seen nothing of the fugitives or |
the captive.
But little over two hours had elapsed |
before they were again in the saddle, and |
their nettled horses at once showed the !
immense benefit OF even the temporary !
rest and Fefreshment Of water and grass |
which they had received; for without |
urging severely they dashed along the |
trail upon 8 rapid gallop.
"This is something likeI' cried Major |
Ben, as his eyes frightened and his cheeks
flushed again. "There's nothing like feel |
ing that the horse under you can 90 on
without breaking his neart at every lump. |
We three are good for thirty Comanches !
now on the prairie Or in the bush. Two |
hours and half ago ten of 'em could !
have given us bad shake for our hair!''
"What's that? Another piece of Stella's
dress, as sure as I live!' cried Paul,
snatching up the precious fragment from
the top of the tall grass, wherein 1t had
lodged.
"The young lady is cool and seems to
feel or know that we're on their trail!''
said Major Ben. Chat will work well
for US, for she'll be ready to take advant-
age OF any chances that offer in the way
of escape or otherwise"
"Perhaps they have seen u.s." said
Paul.
"No-their pace has in no way increas-
ed any from the start, as far as I can see;
but their horses jump shorter as they go
on. The horse that carries double must
be a good enc, but he is tired. have
seen three or four places where he has
stumbled. Nothing but weakness will
ever make prairie horse stumble"
"What is that blue stre6k far, far aWav
to the west?s' asked Mr.. Delorme.
"The ChSrCate Hills, Sir" replied the !
Major. "If the fellows we are after are 1
in cohort with the Commences and once get
there, our chances for g good fight are
tiptop. As to how we'll come out is an (
other question:
''lipray TO Heaven we may overtake them
this side O. there!" said Paul. j
'T'm not much of prayin' character {
never prayed butonce ia my life, and that
was when had q Soothache-but I'll say (
amen to thet, Master PAUL" said the 6
MAJOR, in his dry wGy. 'I'd give twenty {
mead OF horses to cstch 'em on the open
plain. nmy boys didn't tan 'em out in I
less than 40 time, I'd agree to eat mud or '
cnGw sand like Georgia cracker!" S
Thus, for several hours, the trio dashed f
on-the stiG blHe outline of the fsr-of y
nils growing more broken as they ad- q
Vsnced, and the top of q range of timber {
also beginning to show. fl
"thst timber is on the Pecos river" fl
SAID the Ranger, pointing TO it, "snd l ii
shouldn't wonder if they camped there o.
5o-nlght. If they do, some of 'em NAV u
wake up in the kingdom come, without
who 1t was that sent 'em there!" tt
"WhGt specks are those off to the So
'lghtt" asked Paul, whose anxious and re
eye had detected some m
moving objects in tho -,